Nigel Adkins believes his in-form Hull City side can travel to Aston Villa fearful of no opponent after proving they belong in the Championship promotion race with a run of six straight wins.

The Tigers are unbeaten in nine games ahead of facing Dean Smith’s side at Villa Park and the outstanding form served up since mid-December has announced Adkins’ men as an unlikely contender for the top six.

Brentford, Swansea, Preston, Leeds, Bolton and Sheffield Wednesday have all been brushed aside to catapult City up the table and to within just four points of the play-off places.

A stern test of the Tigers’ revised ambitions will come against a Villa side also targeting promotion this season but Adkins says the win away to Leeds three weeks ago ensures they can aim for three more points.

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“We’ve got to believe and we do believe. Having beaten Leeds United away from home, we should believe we can go anywhere and beat anybody.

“But we know this will be very tough. We’ll be ready but we should go there full of confidence as well.”

Today’s clash at Villa Park pits the sides currently occupying 12th and 10th places in the Championship and both Villa and City know a win could lift them to within touching distance of the play-off pack.

The Tigers, though, are the side in form. While Villa have picked up just one win in their last seven league games, the six straight victories racked up by City represents the club’s best sequence at this level since 1909.

Another piece of history will be needed if the Tigers are to make it seven wins on the bounce at Villa Park. Not since 1967, a run spanning 12 visits, have City returned home with a victory.

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“We’re away from home, it’s going to be a packed Villa Park, noisy and passionate. It’s a challenging place,” said Adkins, whose side will look to protect an unbeaten league run dating back to November 24.

“I heard Dean Smith’s comments after the last game (losing 3-0 away to Wigan) and it was a real low point for them.

Dean Smith, head coach of Aston Villa (Image: Getty)

“We know they’re going to be riled up for this game so we know it’ll be challenging. We’ll have to be at the top of our game to match a Villa side that was in the Premier League not so long ago and with aspirations to get back there.

“The run of form we’re on, people are aware of us. We’re four points off the play-offs. Every club will do research into the opposition and everyone knows each game will be tough whether it’s top or bottom of the division.”